Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ Poles Review

Overview

The Distance Carbon FLZ is a premium lightweight, semi-adjustable, Z-fold trekking pole with a carbon shaft. The clever hybrid design combines aspects of Z-fold fixed-length and telescoping adjustable poles for the best of both worlds.

This pole is geared towards mountain runners, ultralight backpackers, and alpine climbers

who want a genuinely packable pole without giving up every millimeter of length adjustability. It’s not the absolute lightest option on the market, but it sits in a niche that very few poles can actually fill.

Key Specs

Spec	Value
Weight (per pole)	170g (340g/pair, 110–125cm size)
Shaft Material	100% carbon fiber
Sections	3
Adjustment Mechanism	FlickLock+ lever
Length Adjustment	20cm
Packed Length	15 inches (110–125cm size)
Grip Material	Ultralight EVA foam
Tips	Carbide and rubber (interchangeable)
Available Sizes	95–110cm, 110–125cm, 125–140cm
Comparison	See how Distance Carbon FLZ compares to similar gear

Performance

Packability and Deployment

This is where the Distance Carbon FLZ earns its reputation. The Distance Carbon FLZ packs down to a tiny 15 inches in length, thanks to its foldable design — small enough to fit onto the outside of a backpack or inside the main compartment, which is critical when using your hands to move over scrambling terrain or when carrying up and over a multi-pitch climb. For context, when folded, the FLZ poles measure 13 to 17 inches depending on size — much shorter than even the most portable 3-segment telescoping poles; for example, the Gossamer Gear LT5 doesn’t get shorter than 23.5 inches.

Deployment is genuinely fast. When timed, it took just six seconds to set one up, and with a little bit of practice, the folding design makes it quick and easy to use. Thanks to the conical connecting elements BD calls “Speed-Cone,” setting up takes just seconds — simply hold, pull, and “click” — done.

Weight and Balance

At 170g per pole, these are among the lightest adjustable poles available. The weight is perfectly balanced, with very little swing mass at the end — allowing the poles to be placed with extreme precision, which is a huge advantage on technical terrain. On trail runs or when poles spend time lashed to a pack rather than in your hands, that low swing weight also means your arms don’t fatigue fighting the poles’ momentum.

Adjustability

The 20cm of adjustment via the FlickLock+ lever is a real benefit on mixed-gradient terrain. The FlickLock levers never slipped during hikes and trail runs, and the 15–20cm of adjustable range comes in handy going up and down steep trails. The tension on the levers easily adjusts using a Phillips screwdriver, found on many multi-tools and Swiss Army knives. One caveat worth noting: on the latest version, the FlickLock mechanism is adjusted using a small Allen wrench — so if you need to tighten it while on the go, you may not have the right key with you. A simple slotted or Phillips screw would have been more practical.

That said, 20cm is still a limited range compared to fully telescoping poles. For the hardcore ultralight crowd, this adjustment is unnecessarily heavy, while other users might want more adjustability — especially those newer to using trekking poles.

Grip and Strap

The latest iteration’s EVA foam grip is a notable upgrade from previous versions — the continuous grooves have disappeared, making the handle more comfortable with no marks on your palms after a long day on the mountain.

The grip extends a couple inches below the primary hand position, so you can choke up on the poles for a short climb without needing to adjust the length.

The wrist strap is a porous, unpadded webbing strap — comfortable enough, but not nearly as adjustable as the beefier padded wrist straps found on Black Diamond’s heavier trekking poles.

If you’re the type who likes to hang off straps with full bodyweight on steep descents, these won’t satisfy.

Durability

This is the honest asterisk on an otherwise excellent pole. Carbon fiber poles are usually less durable than their aluminum counterparts because aluminum doesn’t snap, chip, or crack as easily. Over time, the joints between pole sections may begin to wear down and crack or chip, and these poles won’t stand up to heavy abuse in boulder fields. Under rare stresses, carbon will shear or snap — one user’s Distance Carbon FLZ sheared while backpacking a rocky trail in the Minarets in the High Sierra, without much weight on it. On the other side of the coin, testers in the Superstition Mountains were surprised at how durable the current iteration is — compared to previous versions, they have less flex, with no concerns when using them for stability in rocky washes. These are tough enough for lightweight or ultralight backpacking and strenuous day hikes on rocky trails — but if you’re carrying more than 35–40 pounds, you’d be better served by sturdier, heavier poles.

Some long-term users have also reported the push-button locking pin wearing out after a year or more of use — worth watching if you’re logging high mileage.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Among the lightest semi-adjustable poles available at 170g/pole
• Exceptional packed length (15 inches for medium size) — fits inside most running vests and ultralight packs
• Deploys in roughly 6 seconds with no fiddling
• Low swing weight allows precise placement on technical terrain
• Improved grip comfort in the current version
• Ships with both carbide and rubber tips
• Compatible with optional snow baskets for early-season use

Cons

• 20cm adjustment range is narrow compared to fully telescoping poles
• Carbon construction is more brittle than aluminum; vulnerable to lateral impacts and heavy loads
• FlickLock+ tensioner requires an Allen wrench, not a standard screwdriver
• Wrist straps are thin and minimalist — adequate but not confidence-inspiring on aggressive descents
• Premium price (~$210–240) for what amounts to a narrow-niche tool
• Fixed-length sibling (Distance Carbon Z) is about 2 oz lighter per pair for those who don’t need any adjustability

Who Should Buy This

These poles are best for ultralight backpacking, fastpacking, peak bagging, and trail running — and they’re an especially good fit for ultralight backpackers using pole-supported shelters who value light weight, small folded length, and adjustable height.

They’re equally at home lashed to a running vest for a 30-mile sufferfest or stuffed into a carry-on for a far-flung alpine objective. If you regularly haul loads heavier than 35 lbs, do a lot of off-trail scrambling where poles take lateral abuse, or simply want maximum adjustability for varied terrain, look elsewhere.

Verdict

The Distance Carbon FLZ occupies a genuinely useful niche: it’s the lightest pole you can buy that still offers meaningful length adjustment and packs down short enough to disappear into a running vest or ultralight pack. The latest version is more sophisticated and user-friendly than ever before, and the many small improvements add up to an outstanding overall package. Just go in clear-eyed about the carbon durability trade-off — treat these as a precision instrument, not a workhorse, and they’ll reward you for a long time. Rating: 8.5/10.